Duplicating machine



- J. E. EUTH DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 21, 1931 Sept. 17, 1935.

' 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 17, 1935. J. E. EUTH DUPLICATING MACHINE FiledAu 21, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 17, 1935. J. E. EUTH I DUPLICATINGMACHINE Fil ed Aug. 21, 1931 I g fl a an m 4 1 m 22 6 v 27 a 5 Q J .0 JM I) "N f QA W el l'lll I Sept. 17, 1935. J. E. EUTH 2,014,884

DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Aug; 21. 19:51 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 17,1935. J. E. EUTH DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 21, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet5 "Lkm Patented Sept. 17,1935

PATENT OFFICE 2,014,884 DUPLICATING mom John E. Euth, Chicago, m,assignor to United Autographic Register 00., Chicago, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application August 21, 1931, Serial No. 558,601

' 40 Claims.

This invention relates particularly to duplieating machines adapted tothe purpose of filling in the forms of continuous-form stationery, andmore particularly to improve means for manipu lating the stationery inthe machine.

The primary object of the invention is to pro vide a simple and easilyoperable device for aligning the paper strips in writing position on theplaten; a tensioning device for tensioning the strips after suchalignment; and a device for retracting a set of forms to writingposition, when such action is desirable, after the forms have beenadvanced beyond the platen,

In accordance with the present invention split register pins arepositioned on the machine in front of the platen to engage registerperforations in continuous-form stationery led over the platen, and thepins are'adapted to be expanded, or spread within the perforations toalign the strips. A tensioning device is provided in rear of the platento come into operation after the alignment of the strips and to grip thestrips and tension them over the platen. In case the operator finds thatan error has been made on a set of forms advanced beyond the platen, aspring retracted guide-roll may be thrown into operation which willprevent further advancement of the strip from the rear and upon releasewill draw the forms back over the platen.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of amachine embodying the invention; Fig. 2, a broken plan view of the same,with the typewriter removed; Fig. 3, a broken longitudinal sectionalview of the same, taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, anenlarged'broken longitudinal sectional view of the aligning mechanism,showingthe pins in expanded position; Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. 4.showing the pins retracted; Fig. 6, a plan view of the bar supportingthe movable portions of the register pins; Fig. '7, a brokenlongitudinal ele-' and actuating mechanism; Fig. 10, a broken sectionalview similar to Fig. 3, showing the operation of the strip retractingdevice; Fig. 11, a broken transverse sectional view of the frame, takenas indicated at line ll of Fig. 10; Fig. 12,

'tember 9, 1929.

a broken longitudinal sectional view of the aligning device, taken asindicated at line l2 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 13, a broken transversesectional view of the stationery roll and supporting trapeze, taken asindicated .at line I 3 of Fig. 1. 5

' In the embodiment illustrated A designates a main frame comprising astandard A, and a surmounting bed A B, a platen movably supported in thebed; C, a typewriting machine movably mounted on the bed; D, acarbon-supply" device mounted on the bed; E, an aligning device mountedin front of the platen; F, a unit mounted between the arms of the bed A,comprising a tensioning device F, and strip-retracting device F G, atrapeze for supporting a multiple-strip roll 01 stationery; and H, amultiple strip roll from which continuous-form stationery H is drawn.

The frame A is of known construction having standards A connected bycross-rods II! which are held by nuts It) on the standards and comprisesarms conected at the rear bya cross-rod l I held by nuts II, and atthe'front with'a cross-bar l2. whose ends are bent over and held inposition by machine screws H.

The platen B isstandard equipment andis mounted in a manner usual tothis type of machine. Such a mounting is described'in my copendingapplication Serial No. 391,207, filed Sep- The rear portion of theplaten is held in a raised position by means of springheld actuatingmechanism l3 involving a system of levers actuated through the medium ofa connecting rod l4 whose lowerend is joined to a. pedal l5 which ismounted on a pivot l6 carried 35 by rigid arms I! extending from thelower crossrod l0.

The mechanism l3 includes a rock-shaft i8 I equipped with bent rock armsl9 which carry an and to lift the clamping bar 20 by rocking the armsl9.

The typewriting machine C maybe of any well-known construction. It iscapable of transverse movementin the operation of printingwords,characters, etc; and is movable longitudi- 'nally on the arms or railswhich comprise .the

bed A.

The carbon-supply device D comprises a mul- 5 The bed A is fixedlymounted 20 roll mounted on opposite sides of the platen in brackets 22and is adapted to supply continuous carbon strips across the platen inthe well-known manner.

The aligning device E (see Figs. 3-5 and 12) is mounted on the front ofthe machine and is associated with cross-bar l2, mentioned above. Thecross-bar is of inverted U-shape and serves as a lower clamping member.A bar 26 is rigidly attached to the inner side of the cross-bar l2 andis provided with pins or fingers 26' which extend upwardly throughperforations in the cross-bar. A companion channel-like member 21 isprovided with pins 21- and is slidablysupported on the cross-bar I! bymeans of capped studs 2| which extend through slots 28 in the member. Apair of tension-springs 3i urge the member 21 against the bar 28 so thatthe pins 26 and 21' coact and form expandable splitpins. The bent armsI9 are provided with cams I! which engage rollers 3| journaled on themovable member 21 and serve to spread the pins when the clamping bar 2|is lowered into clamping position. The expanding action serves to alignthe strips when the register perforations are impaled by the pins. Thefront central portions of the cross-bar i2 and the member 21 arerecessed at 32 to facilitate grasping the ends of the strips when thebar 20 is raised.

The mechanism, or unit F, is adapted to'rest on the cross members of thebed A. A pair of U-shaped frame members 35 support the inner mechanisms,and side plates 36, which are held by screws 38*, serve as closures forthe housing. The front ends of the side members are attached to achannel member 31, by screws 31', and the rear ends to an angle plate 38by screws 38.

A pair of slide plates 39 are provided with slots 39' which slidablyengage capped studs 40 projecting from the frame members 35. The platesare provided with studs H which are engaged and actuated by thebifurcated end of an arm 42 which is fixedly mounted on a rock-shaft 43which is journaled in brackets 31' depending from the channel member 31.The rock-shaft is provided with a shorter arm 44 which is connected byan adjustable link 45 to a rock-member 46 which is mounted on a pivotwhich in turn is journaled in brackets 31 depending from the member 31.The front end of the rock-member is actuated by the lever mechanism IIwhen the treadle is depressed, and such an action will draw the plates39 forwardly. Springs 41 are provided to normally retract the plates.

The frame-members 35 are provided with slots 35 to permit the tensioningmechanism F to be moved longitudinally. A'clamping bar 48 is fixedlyattached to the plates 39 with screws II. A rock-shaft 49 is journaledin the plates and equipped with a pair of clamping arms 50 which areadjustable laterally by means of winged nuts 50, and each end of theshaft has a cam arm 5|, held by screws 5!. to engage studs 52 projectingfrom the side members. The camarms serve to rock the shaft and raise theclamping arms when the device is drawn forwardly. Springs 53 aretensioned between the cam-arms and plates to urge the arms in togripping position.

The strip-retracting device F' is also mounted in the unit F. Theframe-members 35 are provided with a pair of horizontally disposedJ-shaped slots 35' in which is seated a guide-rod 55. The ends of therod are provided with loosely 2,014,884 tiple-strip carbon supply rolland a take-up journaled yokes 55 to which long tension springs 56 areattached. The springs pass over sheaves 51 journaled on a stud 51*, andtheir front ends are attached to the lower slide-studs are furtherprovided with slots ill" which correspond with the slots 35" except thatthe advance ends are cut away to provide upwardly inclined surfaces 60.It will be readily understood that, when the cam-plates are pushedrearwardly, the faces 60 will raise the guiderod 55 to a position wherethe springs 5' will draw it rearwardly in the slots 35' and ll. Both ofthe cam-plates 60 are provided with fingers ill which extend upwardlythrough slots in the frame members 35 and into the path of thetypewriter C, so as to be engaged by the machine when the machine ispushed to its rearmost position on the bed A. Springs 62 are attached tothe cam-plates and, like springs 41, are connected to front slide studsCl and urge the cam-plates into inoperative position.

A pair of fixed guide-bars 65 are-attached to the frame-members 35 andthe strips H are led between the bars to the tensioning mechanism F. Thebars are positioned so that when the roller 55 is thrown into action thestrips will be folded back over the bars and the stationery in the loopformed by the rod, as shown in Fig. 10, will be retracted from thefront. It will be understood that when the strips are again readvancedby drawing them forwardly the rod will automatically be returned to itsinoperative position in the offset.

Additional guides E6 are journaled in the sidemembers and associatedbars 61 are provided with transversely adjustable fingers 51" toaccommodate various widths of strips. The sidemembers are provided withadditional perfora- 45 tions 66* to permit the guides and bars to bepositioned as desired.

To the lower side of the unit F is attached a transverse channel member68 which carries a pair of laterally adjustable hooks 69 adapted to 50support the trapeze G. As shown in Fig. 10, an additional pair of hooksmay be provided on a special bracket 10 in case more than one supplyroll is to be used.

- central perforations,'may be inserted. The trapeze comprises a pair ofarms 15 connected at their upper ends by transverse rods 16. The lowerend of one arm is provided with an inwardly 65 extending trunnion 11adapted to engage the perforation in one of the members 14. The otherarm is provided with a bearing 18 adapted to slidably receive an angularbar I9, which is not free to rotate. The inwardly extending end of 70the bar is provided with a rigidly attached domelike trunnion 80 adaptedto frictionally engage a member 14. The outer end of the bar has acapped head 8| by which it is moved in the member II. The bar is drilledto receive a spring I2 65 therefrom, but the appended claims should be2,014,884 and locking plunger 83, and the bearing 18 is provided with acounter-sunk hole 18' for a finger button 84. It will be understood thatby depressing plunger 83 by means of the finger button 84, the trunnionmay be pulled outwardly to remove the stationery roll. This type ofholder is particularly well adapted to provide the requisite amount offriction to prevent the roll from unwinding more stationery than isdesired.

The machine may be loaded by threading the stationery strips from thesupply roll over guide 66, between bars 65, over roller 55, through theclamping device, over the platen interleaving the carbon strips, andunder the clamping blade to the split-pins. Loading the strips throughthe clamping device, or governor, is much easier than in machinesheretofore used, because the strips can be taken together and the oldtime-taking threading of the strips individually, is avoided.

Operation After a set of forms has been filled in, the treadle I isdepressed which raises the clamping bar 20, retracts the split pins, andadvances and releases the tensioning device in the rear of the platen;while the treadle is depressed the operator grasps the ends of thestrips at the opening 32 and draws the next set of register perforationsforwardly and into engagement with the pins; and upon release of thetreadle the following order of actions occurs: the clamping bar descendsand its cam-equipped arms spread the split pins and cause the strips tobe drawn forward slightly and alined; the upper clamping bar grips thestrips against the lower clamping member; and the grippers 50 of thetensioningdevice F, which have been moving rearwardly and downwardly,grip the alined strips and tension them against the register pins byfurther rearward movement. The operator may then tear the advanced setof forms from the strips on the front edge of. the bar 20, or if shedesires she may make erasures upon them and return them to writingpositioniby depressing the treadle and moving the typewriter to itsrearmost position, thus causing the cam-slides 60 to raise the rod 55and prevent further feeding from the rear. The strips are lifted fromthe pins by the operator and the advance set of holes returned to thepins while the guide roller gently pulls the strip backwards, and uponrelease of the treadle the alining and tensioning device will functionexactly as above. Upon readvancement of the strips the rod willautomatically be drawn to its normal inoperative position.

It may be noted that, in advancing the forms, the strips are drawnfreely from the roll, or source of supply, without pulling against anyweights or friction devices, other than those on the roll itself. Thisfeature makes this operation extremely easy, and danger of tearing ispractically eliminated.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for cleamess ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodconstrued as broadly as the prior art,.

What I claim as new, Letters Patent, is:

1. A duplicating machine comprising: a movable platen; expansibleregister-pins disposed near the front end of said platen; and means forpermissible, in view of and desire to secure by actuating said platenand contracting and expanding said register-pins.

2. In a duplicating machine: a frame; a movable platen mounted therein;expansible registerpins mounted on said frame in front of said platen; alower clamping member associated with said register-pins; an uppermovable clamping member; and mechanism for actuating said platen, saidupper clamping member, and said register-pins.

3. In a duplicating machine: a frame; a platen movably mounted therein;a fixedly mounted lower clamping member carried by said frame anddisposed in front of said platen; a pair of split register-pinsassociated with said lower clamping member, each comprising a fixedmember and a movable member; a movably mounted upper clamping member;and treadle-actuated mechanism serving to actuate said platen, saidmovable clamping member, and the movable members of said expansibleregister-pins.

4. A duplicating machine comprising: a platen; expansible register-pinsdisposed near the front end of said platen; and treadle-actuatedmechanism serving to actuate said pins.

5. In a duplicating machine: a frame; a platen mounted therein; aclamping-bar fixedly mounted on the front portion of said frame; a pairof expansible register-pins mounted on said clamping-bar, each having aspring-retracted movable member; a lever-device adapted to actuate saidmovable members against the force of their springs; and mechanismadapted to actuate said lever-device.

6. Mechanism as set forth in claim 5, in which said lever-devicecarries, also, an upper clamping member.

7. Mechanism as specified in claim 5, in which the lever-device carriesan upper clamping-member and is equipped with cams which serve toactuate the movable members of said expansible register-wins, said camspermitting retraction of said movable members when the upper clampingmember is in elevated position.

8. Mechanism as specified in claim 5, in which the clamping-bar mountedon said frame is equipped with guides in which the movable members ofthe expansible register-pins are slidably mounted. f

9. Mechanism as specified in claim 5, in which the first-mentionedclamping-member is of inverted U form and equipped with guides in whichthe movable members of said expansible register-pins are slidablymounted.

10. In a duplicating machine; a frame having a" platen over whichcontinuous-form stationery may be led; forwardly movable aligning meansin front of said platen adapted to align and pre-- vent rearwardmovement of said stationery; and a rearwardly urged tensioning device inrear of the platen adapted to operatively engage the stationery aftersaid stationery has been aligned.

11. In a duplicating machine; a platen over which continuous-form stripsprovided with register-perforations may be drawn; aligning mechanism infront of said platen comprising expansible register-pins adapted toenter and expand in said register-perforations; and a rearwardly urgedtensioning device in the rear of the platen adapted to operativelyengage said strips after said register-pins have been expanded to bringthe perforations into registration.

12. A tensioning device comprising; a forwardly and rearwardly shiftableframe equipped with a fixed bar and associated rock-shaft provided witha clamping arm adapted to grip a plurality of stationery strips againstsaid bar,

actuated by said platen actuating means.

spring-means for urging said frame rearwardiy and cam means serving tooscillate said rockshaft during the shifting of said device.

13. In a duplicating machine: aframe having arms extending rearwardly; aplaten mounted in said frame over which paper strips may be led; meansfor gripping the ends of said strips in advance of said platen; and atensioning device mounted between said-"arms inthe rear ofthe platencomprising .a pair of forwardly and rearwardly movable slide-plates, atransfixed cross-bar mounted on said plates,- an associated rock-shaftjoumaled in the plates and having clamping arms adapted to grip thestrips against said bar, and means for rocking said shaft to release thestrips.

14. A device as specified in claim13, in which the platen is movable andmeans are provided for actuating the platen, and the slide-plates areprovided with a shifting mechanism which is 15. In a duplicatingmachine: a "frame equipped with a platen; expansible register-pinsmounted in said frame in advance of said platen; tensioning mechanismmounted in said frame back of said platen; and common actuatingmechanism for said expansible register-pins and said tensioningmechanism.

16. Mechanism as specified in claim 15, in which the tensioningmechanism is characterized by gripping members adapted to grip thestationery after said expansible register-pins have operated to registerthe stationery-strips.

17. Mechanism as specified in claim 15, in which the tensioningmechanism comprises cacting gripping devices and a spring adapted toretract said gripping devices.

18. In combination in a duplicating machine: a frame; a platen therein;expansible registerpins mounted in front of said platen, each comprisinga fixed member and a movable member; a tensioning-device mounted in saidframe back of said platen; and actuating mechanism for said tensioningdevice and said movable members serving to effect expansion of the pinsand thereafter effect tensioning of the stationery.

19. In a duplicating machine: a frame equipped with a platen and withmeans for hold- I ing the advance end of continuous-form stationery ledacross the platen: a typewriting machine mounted to travel on saidframe; a stationery-retracting device mounted on said frame, and meansfor throwing said device'into action, said last mentioned means beingactuated by the typewriter when moved to a retracted position on saidframe.

20. In a duplicating machine: a frame equipped with a platen and withmeans for holding the advance end of continuous-form stationery led oversaid platen from the rear; and a normally inoperativestationery-retracting device mounted on said frame out of the path ofand out of effective contact with the stationery; and means for throwingsaid device into operative engagement with said stationery.

21. Mechanism as specified in claim 20, in which said frame is equippedwith a guide through which the stationery extends, and saidstationery-retracting, device is equipped with means for engaging thestationery in front of said guide and eifecting a fold in thestationery, with consequent withdrawal of the sationer'y from theplaten, when said device is moved rearwardly.

22. Mechanism as specified in claim 20, in which said frame and saidstationery-retracting device are equipped with means for enga ina thestationery to effect a folding thereof when the stationery-retractingdevice is lifted and moved rearwardly.

23. Mechanism as specified in claim 20, in 5 which thestationery-retracting device normally is held in an advance position andis equipped with spring-actuating means adapted to effect retraction ofthe stationery-retracting device.

24. Inaduplieating machine: a frame equipped in with a' platen and infront of said platen with register-pins; a guide on said frame in therear of the platen through which continuous-form stationery may be ledon its way across the platen; and a retractible stationery-retractingdevice engaging the lower side of the stationery in advance of andbeneath said guide.

25. In a duplicating machine: a frame equipped with a platen and infront of said platen with register-pins; a guide on said frame in therear of the platen through which continuous-form stationery may be ledonits way across the platen; and a retractible stationery-retractingdevice engaging the lower side ofthe stationery in advance of saidguide, said stationery-retracting device being equipped with aretracting spring and adapted to move upwardly and then rearwardly to'eifect retraction of the stationery.

26. In a duplicating machine: a bed having a platen; and astationery-retracting device comprising auxilliiary frame-membersmounted in said bed with slots having offsets at their front ends, atransverse guide supported by said members through which continuous-formstationery may be led to said platen, and a rod seated in said offsetsand adapted to be lifted and moved rearwardly in said slots, thereby tofold the stationery over said guide and effect retraction of thestationery upon said platen.

27. Adevice as specified in claim 26, in com- 40 bination with means forthrowing the rod into operative engagement with the stationery.

28. A device was specified in claim 26, in which the rod is so mountedas to be thrown to latched position by thestationery when saidstationery'45 is readvanced over the platen.

29.'In duplicating mechanism: a bed equipped with a platen; analining-device in front of said platen having means for engagingregister-perforations in continuous-form stationery extending over theplaten; a tensioning-device in the rear of the platen; and mechanismoperative to cause said alining-device to operate to effect registrationand thereafter cause said tensioningdevice to operate to effecttensioning of the stationery.

30. Mechanism as specified in claim 29, in which the alining-devicecomprises expansible register-pins.

31. Mechanism as specified in claim 29, in which the alining-devicecomprises expansible register-pins and the tensioning device comprisesgrippers and means for shifting said sr ppers rearwardly.

32. Mechanism as specified in claim 29, in

which a foot-treadle controls the operation of rsaid aiming-device andsaid tensioning device.

33. A duplicating machine comprising: a

frame; a substantially flat platen mounted therein; forwardly slidable,normally spring-re- 34. A duplicating machine comprising: a frame; asubstantially fiat platen mounted therein; tensioning means in the rearof said platen adapted to engage duplicating strips led from a suitablesource forwardly over the platen; normally retracted, forwardly movableregisterfingers mounted in said frame near the front end of said platen;and treadle-actuated means serving to actuate said register-fingers.

35. A duplicating machine comprising: a frame; a substantially flatmovable platen mounted in said frame; a tension device in the rear ofsaid platen adapted to engage duplicating strips led forwardly from asource of supply over said platen; normally retracted, forwardly movableregister-fingers mounted in said frame near the front end of saidplaten; and manually actuated means serving to actuate said platen andsaid register-fingers.

36. In a duplicating machine: a frame; a sub stantially flat movableplaten mounted therein; tensioning means in the rear of said platenadapted to engage duplicating strips led forwardly from a source ofsupply across said platen; normally retracted register-fingers movablymounted in said frame in front of said platen; a lower clamping memberassociated with said register-fingers; an upper movable clamping memberhaving perforations for accommodating said fingers; and mechanism foractuating said platen, said upper clamping member, and saidregister-fingers.

37. A duplicating machine comprising: a frame; a movable platen mountedtherein; a friction device in the rear of said platen adapted to engageduplicating strips ledforwardly from a source of supply over saidplaten; normally retracted, forwardly movable register-fingers mountedin said frame near the front end of said platen; and means for actuatingsaid-platen, said register-fingers and said friction-device.

38. The method of aligning and tensioning continuous-form stationeryprovided with uniformly spaced register-perforations, which comprises:engaging the register-perforations by expansible means at the advanceends of the strips and effecting registration thereof; and subsequentlyengaging the strips at a point in rear and exerting a tensioning forcethereon.

39. The method as specified in' claim 38, as practiced by gripping thestrips after they have been aligned by the expansible means and exertingtensioning force on the strips.

40. A duplicating machine comprising: a frame; a substantially flatplaten mounted therein, register-fingers near the front end of saidplaten slidably mounted upon said frame for straight line movement inthe plane of stationery strips engaged thereby; and treadle-actuatingmeans serving to actuate said register-fingers.

JOHN E. EUTH.

